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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26128825">The Little Details</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Everybody_Loves_Chocolate/pseuds/Everybody_Loves_Chocolate'>Everybody_Loves_Chocolate</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NCT (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Angst, Heartbreak, Hurt No Comfort, I am so sorry, M/M, Mark Lee (NCT)-centric, One-Sided Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee, Some Plot, Talking, Unrequited Love, author is hurting, first time writing angst for me, jeno is a sweetheart, theyre all sweethearts</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 03:46:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,893</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26128825</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Everybody_Loves_Chocolate/pseuds/Everybody_Loves_Chocolate</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Mark noticed the little details about Donghyuck and so he noticed his best friend liking Jeno. Mark wouldn't say anything against it or for it though, choosing to deal with his hurt himself.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Lee Jeno, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>41</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Sooo... yeah. It came out of nowhere, suddenly it was just there. Honestly, I don't know if this, like, does the angst tag any justice but my chest was hurting as I was writing this. (Maybe I'm just a softie though)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mark always noticed the tiniest details about Donghyuck. He wouldn't call it a talent rather than an annoying habit that had developed over time. Why it had developed, Mark didn't know but it wasn't important anyways.</p><p>What was important was Donghyuck's hand slowly creeping closer towards Jeno, the other boy completely oblivious to it. Mark looked on as Donghyuck and Jeno sat on the couch, Jeno watching the movie and Donghyuck watching him. Donghyuck's fingertips finally brushed against Jeno's hand and Jeno startled slightly, before glancing at Donghyuck and taking his hand, smiling widely.</p><p>Jeno was fast to continue watching the movie but Mark didn't miss the way Donghyuck melted into the simple touch. His shoulders slumped and he slid closer to Jeno by a millimeter. Donghyuck was looking at Jeno like one would feel after coming home on a cold day to hot chocolate and a lit fireplace. Mark wished Donghyuck was looking at him like that instead of Jeno.</p><p>Mark leaned back in his chair, pinching the bridge of his nose. He shouldn't be watching Donghyuck if he didn't want to feel the heavy pressure in his chest but it was inevitable. Whenever Donghyuck entered a room Mark's eyes were immediately drawn to him like a moth to the flame.</p><p>Mark may want Donghyuck to feel that way about him too but he knew it wouldn't ever happen. Jeno and Donghyuck had clicked since the first time they'd seen each other and Mark knew his best friend. He knew Donghyuck better than Donghyuck himself, having memorised his habits and signs after years and years of friendship. And Jeno, well, Mark wasn't too sure about Jeno but at least the boy never rejected Donghyuck's advances.</p><p>Murmurs pulled Mark from his thoughts, redirecting his gaze to the two boys on the couch. Donghyuck was leaning against Jeno's shoulder and whispered something in his ear, one hand still in Jeno's, the other on his waist. Jeno giggled and the sound broke Mark's heart as Donghyuck sighed dreamily. Taking a deep breath, Mark got up from his seat and mumbled, “I'm going out for a sec.”</p><p>He tried not to look back at the two other boys and, miraculously, he succeeded. Trudging through the hallway and towards the balcony, Mark took steadying breaths, trying to calm his aching heart. He didn't know why it still affected him so much to know Donghyuck liked Jeno and Jeno, maybe, liked Donghyuck, when it had been years in the making.</p><p>Mark took a seat in the chair on the balcony, closing his eyes and breathing in the cold night air. The city was quiet, not even an occasional car passing by or music playing from somewhere. It gave Mark the space and time to think, to clear his head and move on until he saw Donghyuck or Jeno's face again. </p><p>Of course Mark had tried to forget about his feelings for Donghyuck but that wasn't easy considering they saw each other almost every day. And Mark wasn't going to loose a perfectly good and happy friendship over something as dumb as a crush. Now, that was easy to say but hard to execute as he wanted to be supportive and encouraging of his best friend but it was hard when he always felt the tears at the back of his eyes whenever Donghyuck so much as looked at Jeno with those soft eyes.</p><p>For Mark, Donghyuck was his sun. Donghyuck had helped him through so much, had always kept him happy and warm and Mark wanted to give back. He wanted to treasure the younger boy, to hold him tight and never let go but that wasn't what Donghyuck wanted.</p><p>“I'm sorry, hyung.”</p><p>Mark startled, opening his eyes to the shadow of Jeno standing in the door. His normally sharp features seemed a little softer in the light, like they were rounded to seem less intimidating.</p><p>“Sorry for what?” Mark asked as Jeno stepped onto the small balcony and closed the door behind him. </p><p>For a while, Jeno didn't answer, just looked at Mark with so much emotion, emotion Mark couldn't place.</p><p>“I see you, hyung,” Jeno said finally and Mark flinched. “I see how you look at him and I see how you want him to look at you but he never does, does he?” Mark averted his gaze at that, choosing to look at the withering plants in the pots instead. “I'm sorry, hyung. I don't want to hurt you.”</p><p>“You're not.”</p><p>Jeno hesitated then, setting his jaw in a firm line. Mark had never expected either of them to notice anything, he had been sure to hide it at all times. Apparently he hadn't been successful. But it wasn't a lie that Jeno wasn't hurting him. Donghyuck wasn't hurting him either. It was Mark himself who did it. He hurt himself and he just endured it.</p><p>Tentative fingers touched Mark's arm. Mark looked up and Jeno startled, pulling his hand back. He cleared his throat before whispering, “Even if I'm not hurting you, I can't see you like this. It'll be worse if I admit anything, whether it's in his favour or not, and you and I both know that.”</p><p>Mark did know. He knew because he'd thought about it on nights he'd been staring up at the sky, the city under him.</p><p>“I can take worse. I'm not made of glass,” Mark got out before Jeno's arms were winding around his shoulders and the younger boy leaned over to engulf him in a hug. </p><p>They just breathed for a while and slowly Mark lifted his arms to embrace Jeno as well. He could take what he could get and if all he could get was Jeno's understanding then that was okay and he wouldn't complain.</p><p>“I don't want to tell him, hyung,” Jeno confessed into the side of Mark's neck, words muffled. Mark didn't fully understand, furrowing his eyebrows and tightening his hold on Jeno. Still, he asked “Why?” if just for the sake of it.</p><p>“I don't want the both of you to hurt.”</p><p>Mark shook his head and pulled away then. Jeno let go easily, arms falling to his side and body casting a shadow over Mark again. He looked smaller somehow, hair falling into his eyes and oversized sweater swallowing him up.</p><p>“You don't know what I'm talking about, are you?” Jeno asked and Mark shook his head. He didn't understand a thing. Jeno sighed and ran a hand over his face. “He knows, hyung, of course he knows.” Of course. “Why do you think he hasn't said anything yet? Not because he's too shy or scared but because he knows you like him and he knows you would hurt if he and I were more than friends.”</p><p>Mark gaped up at Jeno but the younger boy wasn't finished yet. “You're hurting either way but he'd rather have you hurt less and not say anything than have you, like, shatter and pretend to be okay while he and I aren't just friends anymore. Hyung, seriously, you-” Mark raised a hand and shook his head, effectively stopping Jeno from continuing on.</p><p>Slowly, Mark got up and took a deep breath.</p><p>“I need to talk to him.”</p><p>Jeno let Mark go past him easily, stepping sideways and watching as Mark disappeared into the apartment. </p><p>Donghyuck was still sitting on the couch, biting his fingernails nervously as he glanced at the clock every second. Mark walked in as calmly as he could, mustering a small smile.</p><p>“Hyuck, could I talk to you for a second?”</p><p>Donghyuck was quick to nod and get up, to follow Mark into the kitchen. Mark caught a glance of Jeno still on the balcony, leaning agains the railing. This wasn't going to be easy.</p><p>Mark sat down on one side on the table and Donghyuck at the other. It looked a bit impersonal but right now Mark needed the distance to gather his thoughts and voice them aloud.</p><p>“Hyuck,” he began, “you can do whatever you want to. If you want to tell Jeno you like him then to it.”</p><p>“But-”</p><p>“No, Donghyuck.” Donghyuck's mouth snapped shut and he sat back down with trembling arms and wide eyes. “I'll get over it. It isn't the end of the world, Hyuckie, I'll get over it. I don't want me to be the thing preventing you from being truly happy, okay?” Donghyuck nodded mutely, gaze locked stubbornly on the table. Mark's heart hurt just thinking about it but he had to finally accept that Donghyuck wasn't for him. He should accept his role as the supporting best friend. Mark managed a wry smile. “I'm happy for you, Hyuck, really. Please don't let me stop you.”</p><p>Donghyuck looked up at that and he looked like he was on the verge on tears. Mark was too.</p><p>Silently, Donghyuck got up and went around the table. Mark was quick to take him into his arms. Donghyuck slid into his lap and hugged him tightly. They didn't say anything, they didn't need to.</p><p>After minutes of silence Donghyuck whispered, “I love you, hyung.”</p><p>Mark barely managed a nod and a choked, “Me too.”</p><p>They detached from each other, not looking into each other's eyes, and Donghyuck trudged out of the kitchen.</p><p>“Jeno's probably still on the balcony,” Mark said from his spot on the kitchen chair and Donghyuck turned to give him a sad smile. Still, he redirected to the balcony.</p><p>Mark exhaled shakily, leaning back in the chair and looking up at the ceiling. Tears were forming at the corners of his eyes and he let them. He should feel it once, heartbreak, as to not make such a mistake again.</p><p>When Jeno and Donghyuck came inside again later that night, hand in hand, Mark could smile at them warmly. He could congratulate them and tease them about being dumbasses. He could watch them sink down on the couch, cuddling, and he could chuck a pillow at Jeno, telling him not to strain his neck.</p><p>He could hide his pain and his tears and pretend he didn't notice the tiniest details about Donghyuck. Like the fingers flexing on Jeno's abdomen and the lips puckering against his neck and the pure happiness in Donghyuck's eyes.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>But Mark was wrong. Donghyuck wasn't feeling pure happiness, especially not after having broken his best friend's heart. Donghyuck wasn't stupid and he'd known Mark since diapers. Mark wasn't as good of an actor as he thought he was.</p><p>So, as Donghyuck's head was resting on Jeno, his eyes were resting on Mark. On his best friend. On the boy who tried to do his best to hold himself together until he was alone. 

Donghyuck's heart hurt even as his and Jeno's fingers were intertwined. He wanted to reach and pull Mark in with them. He wanted Mark to be happy, no matter the cost.</p><p>But it wasn't possible. He couldn't give Mark what he wanted and the older boy wouldn't be happy with Donghyuck forcing himself to view Mark as something other than his best friend. So Donghyuck stuck to Jeno, turning his head and looking at him instead.</p><p>He took a deep breath as he felt a pout form and his fingers flex at the intense feeling of wanting to comfort Mark. He didn't. He stuck to Jeno.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Surprise! I hate myself :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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